


The Black Candy

by enigmaticma



Category: SHINee
Genre: A Walk, A horror turned fluff, Escape, Halloween, Imaginary Friend, M/M, Mention of Midnight man, Scary Games, date, fluff with angsty vibes., monster under the bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:55:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27122827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigmaticma/pseuds/enigmaticma
Summary: Taemin was on the run and seeked shelter in his family home, hiding under his blanket, when the demon under his bed showed up with concern filling his face. "I'm sorry to pop out of nowhere, but don't you hear the noises downstairs?"
Relationships: Lee Jinki | Onew/Lee Taemin
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13
Collections: Taemythological Halloween Special Round





	The Black Candy

**Author's Note:**

> it's a self prompt inspired of a prompt by : writing.prompt.s (I lost the link but I'll provide it soon)

Clutching his hands over his tiny bag of necessity, the man on the train, Lee Taemin, mumbled to himself in a moment of insanity, “Try the black Candy Challenge, they said. It would be fun, they said.”

Taemin had been on a run, getting thinner than he was, for a week, because of that damn challenge. He also had been terrified day after day when everyone who played the challenge with him had a life threatening accident.

He didn’t even try to check if they survived because he felt like he won’t survive the answer.

Going to his parents' home for Halloween was his last resort. It was the safest place he could think of therefore he went there only to find that his parents weren’t going to be home before the next day.

He had never felt so scared of being alone like he was when he reached home and found it empty. “Sorry darling,” said his mom, “we didn’t expect you to show up today so we made plans with friends.”

Terrified, he ran upstairs to hide under his childhood covers. He curled in bed, his life flashing on his eyes when it settled in that he would die as weird noises were being heard downstairs.

He was a goner.

He didn’t expect however to feel the bed move and, out of nowhere, a man crawled from under it, looking quite concerned. “Hey, I swore not to pop up but didn’t you hear the noises downstairs?” the man said.

Taemin, at that point, was too terrified to talk and just pulled that single cursed candy he had in his pocket, which he tried to get rid of thousands of times, and showed it to the man.

The man’s reaction was instantaneous as he suddenly picked the candy and ran off of the room. Taemin screamed in terror as the man literally walked through the locked closed door… without opening it.

He kept on screaming until water splashed on his face and he coughed, choking, before noticing the man. “You-you-you are a ghost,” he managed to say curling in a corner and wrapped in his blanket.

“I am more of an under bed monster,” the man nonchalantly corrected, “I lived under your bed for ages, you know. I never truly wanted to show up but damn boy, you sure love to bring trouble home.”

Taemin flinched as the man sat on the edge of the bed. “What do you want? Do you want to kill me? Do you want my soul?” he kept on stammering and the man - Demon laughed for a moment.

“I am not actually interested in any of that,” he said before standing, “It’s Halloween so I got to go and collect some candies or meet some of my friends.” The ghost, man, demon, whatever walked toward the door and nearly crossed it when he paused to look at Taemin, “next time don’t play a game you are not ready to finish or crush the candy when you’re offered it, unless you wanted the midnight man to keep haunting you.”

“The candy?” Taemin blinked before realizing, “what did you do with the candy?”

“I gave it to the Midnight man, told him I got my eyes on your soul first,” the man said with a smirk, before winking, “I’ll get you some pumpkin spice pies on my way back, alright?” He disappeared before Taemin could process the entire thing.

The silence that followed was suddenly different from the silence that followed him the past few days and he dared to look out of the bedroom door. He noticed how the house was suddenly vibrant and lively so he dared to go downstairs to the kitchen. Hungry, he picked all the cookies and the packed leftovers in the fridge. He microwaved one pack after another when a voice startled him. “Oh dear, you sure didn’t eat in a while,” the man said behind him and Taemin looked back to see the man holding a pack of goods.

“How did you even get that here?” Taemin asked first before flinching as the man approached the table, “how… what are you?”

“Long story short, I am a kind of demon who live under kids’ bed and feed on bad kids,” the man said before offering his hand, “I’m Onew by the way, you can give me a human name if you like, and I am about ten years older than you, I think.”

“You… are real?” Taemin asked as his hand managed to touch the man’s, “but you went through the door. How?”

“Well, that’s my power darling,” Onew said, sitting down on the chair. “Sit down and eat some pie while your food heats up. Come on, don’t be shy.”

Taemin had seen enough to actually do as he was asked. He was wary but the food tasted great. He ate enough for seven people and patted on his stomach satisfied while Onew observed him, amused. “So,” Taemin asked, feeling safer, “I am no longer in danger?”

“Yes, the midnight man would follow you as long as you have the candy but since I gave him back his tracker, you are safe,” Onew explained, “and you better tell your friends who played with you that they will survive if they put the candy in the room where you played the ritual.”

Taemin pouted as he commented “I don’t think they survived.”

Onew gave him an incredulous glare before rolling his eyes and picking his pie, mumbling, “Stupid humans playing stupid games.”

“I sure was stupid,” Taemin agreed, “I didn’t eat food in days because one of my ritual friends choked on glass while eating. I also didn’t use my laptop or my charger in ages, it was a nightmare.”

Onew just scoffed at that and they ate in pure silence for a moment. “The sunset is close,” Onew abruptly said, “do you want to go out with me?”

“Me?” Taemin asked him in surprise before nodding as Onew patiently waited, “yes, sure. I just need… eum, to shower I guess. I didn’t shower in a week.”

“I’ll wait for you then,” Onew said as he lied on the sofa, eyeing Taemin who sat there confused, “go on?”

“Oh sure.” Taemin rushed to the bathroom, almost falling on his face. He showered. Because he neither packed extra clothes nor had any spare at home except his teen briefs, he had to wear back his dirty clothes. Onew was washing the dishes when he got in the living room which was surreal.

A demon, entity or whatever, was washing the dishes and seemed kind of used to do it. “Done?” Onew asked as he wiped his hands with a dry napkin. “Let’s go,” he simply said as Taemin didn’t talk, walking out of the door without opening it before opening it back, “Sorry, I forgot you don’t cross doors.”

“Are you real?” Taemin asked him suddenly, “I must be really losing my mind.”

Onew smiled but only pulled him out of the house. The neighborhood was full of life, people weren’t trick or treating yet but they were already in their costumes. Whoever knew Taemin approached him with smiles and teases before he realized nobody actually asked about Onew who stood by his side.

“They don’t see you, do they?” Taemin asked as he approached an empty street and Onew nodded with playful grin.

“I love Halloween,” Onew said suddenly, “it is the time of the year where the spiritual world gains some power and can contact people.”

“Then why am I the only one seeing you?” Taemin asked him confusedly but Onew didn’t answer that.

They had reached an empty playground and Onew fast pulled him to it. “Let’s play a little! I didn’t do much in a year,” he said excitedly, “sit and I’ll push you.”

“Why don’t we swing each on his side?” Taemin wondered aloud as he sat down.

Onew pushed him and he started swinging lightly. “It will scare people to see an empty swing moving on its own,” Onew explained, “besides, I fear swings. I prefer pushing.”

Taemin nodded at that and allowed Onew the joy of pushing the swing. They remained silent for a moment, even if Taemin could feel the stress of those days seeping out of him and he had a grin stretching his face up brightfully. They left the playground, headed to a coffee shop in which Taemin put on an earphone. “So what do you want?” He asked as he ran his eyes on the menu, “I will take a Pumpkin spice frappuccino, and you?” 

He looked toward Onew who laughed. “Clever,” Onew pointed out to his ear, “I’ll take the same.” 

Taemin’s expression brightened, smiling as he approached the cashier, “Two Pumpkin Spices Frappuccino,” he said as he offered his card to pay. 

“your order will be ready shortly,” The cashier said and Taemin nodded, taking the nearest table. 

Onew sat down and stretched when a man passing by nearly fell on his face. “Oh, oops,” Onew mumbled awkwardly as he pulled his legs close, “I didn’t see that poor man coming.” 

Taemin tried to keep his laughter in bay as the man stood, with coffee all over his clothes, and he offered napkins as the stranger’s friends took him out of the place. He was glad they got theirs and left because he laughed loud enough to startle the passing by. “That was hilarious,” he said as he made sure to show his earbuds, “I felt bad for the poor guy.” 

Onew chuckled, patting Taemin’s head but soon changed the subject. They walked around until dinner and Taemin ordered as they went home. “When are your parents going to be here?” Onew asked.

“They said they won’t be home before tomorrow evening.” Taemin didn’t notice that Onew’s expression verged relief as he said so. 

They sat by the table and ate in a good mood before Taemin actually came to the realization that he had the best Halloween ever. “What?” Onew asked him as his expression froze into daze.

“I had fun today,” Taemin simply answered, “I really did.” 

Onew smiled at that, picking the food and eating. “I knew you would have fun,” Onew teased and Taemin smiled, thankful, as he finished his food.

They finished their food, cleaned up and snuggled under blankets while watching a horror movie playing on national TV. Taemin didn’t realize when he fell asleep but when a hand shook him awake, it was early morning and his mother looked quite concerned. “Oh dear,” she lamented, “you look so thin and malnourished. I did well by coming home early.” 

“Mom?” He asked confusedly as he looked around, “What time is it?” 

“It’s around lunch darling,” she said, “I’ll make you something, just wait up.” Taemin stretched at that and went to his bedroom, looking for Onew. He looked under the bed, in the closet, but seemed to find the man nowhere. 

“I hope you are okay,” he mumbled to himself as he freshened up only to feel a cold hand on the back of his neck with no one around. It would have scared him if he didn’t know who he was dealing with, “I guess the magic ends at Midnight,” he said to the mirror, “I see you next year then.” 

He was about to walk out of the bathroom when he paused by the door to say “and I promise not to play creepy games again.” 

He could swear he heard laughter from a distance and hoped it meant he heard Onew’s. His father showed up as the lunch was on the table. They nagged on Taemin to eat more and sleep more and he promised to do his best. 

“So how did you spend Halloween?” His father asked.

Taemin smiled before teasingly saying, “I had fun with Onew.” His parents looked at him in surprise before he laughed, “I am just teasing you. I walked around and had a latte then came home with takeouts. Nothing really interesting happened.” 

The mother laughed, “Oh dear, I was shocked for a moment. We didn’t hear you call your imaginary friend in ages,” she said before making a wondering face, “when was the last time you mentioned Onew, I wonder? Seventeen years ago? Eighteen?” 

“Yeah, he was about five so it’s seventeen,” The father commented, “you really bothered us with all the stories of how Onew suddenly was mean to you because you had new friends so you no longer were playing with him.” 

Shocked, it took him a lot of will not to look at his room’s side and play with his food before eating normally. “I guess I indeed abandoned a friend back then,” he mumbled to himself as his parents were talking about something he didn’t catch on. 

As he laid in his childhood bed, he wondered if Onew would pop up had he not played the Black Candy game.


End file.
